There is no single EU-wide inspection period. If your order arrives near the end of buyer protection, inspect it immediately and report any problem before the protection end date and time shown on the order page.
The safest approach is to treat the buyer-protection deadline as your real limit unless the marketplace shows a different, earlier complaint window. Do not wait to “see if it gets better” if the parcel is damaged, incomplete, or clearly wrong.
What to do now:
- Open the order details and find the exact protection expiry date and time.
- Check whether the marketplace also shows a separate return or dispute deadline after delivery.
- Inspect the parcel the same day it arrives, or as soon as you can.
- If the outside packaging is damaged, photograph it before opening.
- Open the parcel carefully and check the item against the order page, variant, size, colour, quantity, and accessories.
- If it is an electronic or other testable item, do a quick basic test right away, even if you plan a fuller check later.
If something is wrong, report it immediately. The key point is to create a record before the window closes, not after you have spent several days checking the item.
Save these details before you contact the seller or marketplace:
- The order number
- The buyer-protection expiry date and time
- The tracking status showing when the parcel was marked delivered
- Photos of the outer parcel, inner packaging, item, and the defect or mismatch
- Any message from the seller or marketplace about the complaint deadline
If the parcel arrived but tracking shows an unusual delivery status, report that difference at once with the tracking number and the delivery status shown on the order page. If the item is damaged, wrong, missing parts, or not working, say exactly what is wrong and attach the photos.
If the marketplace says a dispute or claim must be opened within a certain time after delivery, follow that rule too. If two deadlines appear, use the earlier one. If the seller gives you a longer informal promise by message, do not rely on it unless the marketplace will also accept it.
If you are unsure whether the defect is serious enough, file the complaint anyway before the deadline and explain that you need the case opened while you inspect the item further. The important thing is to stop the protection period from expiring before you have a record of the problem.
Practical tip: take one photo of the unopened parcel next to the shipping label and one screenshot of the protection expiry time before you start the inspection.
